Hilttmiltating device



'A. W. KOEHLER.

ILLUMINATING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB-17.1919- l ,3 1 7,023 Patented Sept. 23, 1919;

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

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A. W. KOEHLER.

ILLUMINATING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 11. 1919.

1,317,023. Patented Sept. 23, 1919.

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Ailarney A. W. KOEHLER.

ILLUMINATING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED [EB-17.1919.

Patented Sept. 23, 1919.

in venfor Award W/fae/zler Witnesses Aflorney ALBERT W. KOEHIiEB, 0FDAYTON, OHIO.

ILLUMINATING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Sept, 23, 1919 Applicationfiled February 17, 1919. Serial No. 277,680.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT W. KoEHLER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Dayton, in the county of Montgomery and State of Ohio, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Illuminating Devices, of whichthe following is'a specification.

This invention relates to illuminating devices particularly to searchlights, and has for its object the provision of a rapidly rotatingsearch light adapted particularly for use upon warships whereby a largearea surrounding the ship may be illuminated for detecting the presenceof submarines.

An important object is the provision of an illuminating device of thischaracter embodying a rotary member carrying a plurality of searchlights, the'rotary member being longitudinally movable with respect toits support whereby the angular position .of the search lights may bevaried while they are rotating whereby the illuminating glare may bedirected downwardly horizontally or upwardly depending upon whether thedevice is employed on board ship as above described, on land fordetecting the presence of airplanes, or on an airplane or balloon forilluminating the ound below.

Another object is the provision of a device of this character rovidedwith very simple control means w ereby the an lar position of the searchlights may be quickly and easily varied while the devlce is inoperation.

An additional object is the provision of a device of this characterwhich will be comparativel simple and inexpensive in manuacture, ighlyeflicient and durable in use and a general improvement in the art.

With the above and other objects and advantages in view the inventionconsists in the details of construction, to be hereinafter more fullydescribed and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, inwhich Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device with the search lightsshown at one limit oftheir adjusted position.

- Fi 2 is a" longitudinal sectional view showing the search lights atthe other limit of their adjusted posltion.

' Fig. 3 is a plan view of the rotary head of the device.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view showing the base in plan.

Fig. 5 is a detail cross sectlonal view through the spindle at the pointwhere one of the conducting wires enters thereinto.

Fig.6 is a detail elevation showing the contact members engaging theconducting terminal rings. 0 Referring more particularly to the drawlngsthe numeral 10 designates the supporting base of the device which isprovided, preferably at its corners with suitable attaching feet 11,whereby the device may be secured at the desired location. upon thebaselO is an electric motor 12 which in the present instance is shown asextendin through a hole 13 formed'in the center 0 the base 10 andsecured in place by a plurality of L-shaped clamping members 14extending through the base 10 and provided with clamping nuts 15. Leadwires 14 and 15 extend through the motor as shown. The motor 12 is sopositioned that its shaft 16 will be vertically disposed as clearlyshown.

The rotating head of in device comprises a spindle 17 having at itslower end a socket 18 engaged upon the upper end of the motor shaft 16and provided at its upper end with a preferably rectan ular plate 19having hinged knuckles 20 ormed upon its edges. The upper portion of thespindle 17 is hollow for a purpose to be described. Associated with eachedge of the plate 19 is an arm 21 having one end formed to providehinged knuckles 22 and carr ing at its outer end an electric searchlight 23 embodying the usual reflector 24 and an incandescent bulb 25.The arms 21 are connected with the plate 19 by pintles 26 which passthrough the associated knuckles 20 and 22 whereby the arms carrying thesearch lights will be pivotally connected with the plate 19. The leadwires 27 and 28 from the search lights pass through the hollow portionof the spindle 17 and have their terminals connected respectively withrings 29 and 30 secured upon and insulated from the lower portion of thespindle 17.

In order that current may be supplied to the searchlights, I provide astandard 31 secured upon the base 10 and carrying a pair of brush arms32 and 33 which bear respectively upon the rings 29 and 30. Wires 34 and35 are connected respectively with the brush arms 32 and 33 andinterposed in the wire 35 is a knife switch 36 suitably mounted upon thebase 10.

In order that the angular position of the Secured by clamping nuts 45engaging upon opposite sides .of the arms 21. From this construction itwill be seen that when the sleeve 37 is moved longitudinally upon thespindle 17, the angular position of the arms 21 with respect to thespindle may be quickly and easily varied.

In order that the position of the arms 21.

may be adjusted while the device is in operation, I provide a standard46 rising from the base 10 to which is pivoted a lever 47 having one endprovided with a handle 48 and having its other end provided with a fork49 engaging against the lower end of the sleeve 37.

The operation of the device is as follows When current is supplied tothe motor 12,

through the lead wires 14 and 15, rotation" of the motor will result inrotation of the spindle 17 carrying the arms 21 and searchlights 23. Thewires 31 and 35 being connectedwith any suitable 1 source of current,when the switch 36 is closed, current will pass throughthe wire 34, ring29, wires 27, through the bulbs 25, wires 28, ring 30, brush arm 33,wire 35, and back to the source of current, there-by energizing all ofthe bulbs 25. As all the search lights 23 will be rotated at a highspeed the result will be the illumination of a large area surroundingthe device. When the device is used'on board a ship the lever 47 ismoved to adjust the position of the sleeve 37 upon the spindle 17 sothat the search lights 23 will direct their raysin a substantiallyhorizontal plane so as to illuminate the ,water around the ship. Suchillumination will be practically continuous owing to the rapid rotationof the search lights and will render it an easy matter to detect thepresence of an attacking submarine. Whenthe device is used on land forthe purpose of detecting the approach of airplanes, the lever 47 ismoved so that the sleeve 37 will be slid upwardly as far as possibleupon the spindle 17 whereupon the arms 21 will be rocked upwardly/uponthe pintles 26. Thepositions of the arms 21 and'search lights 23 willthen be as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings and the light from the searchlights will be directed upwardly and will thoroughly illuminate a largearea which will make the detection of the approach of an airplane asimple matter. When the device is used upon an airplane, it is necessarythat the lever -17 be moved so that the sleeve 37 will be disposed atthe lower portion of the spindle 17 whereupon the arms 21 will beinclined downwardly and the searchlights 23 will direct their raysdownwardly and will illuminate the ground so that the aviator may moreconveniently make a proper landing. Furthermore, when the device is usedupon an airplane, the rapid rotation of the search lights will result inthe production of an illuminated area of great extent against whichhostile airplanes will be rendered easily visible for observersstationed upon the ground.

' It is of course understood that the strength of the device dependsupon the size of the individual Searchlight and the strength of thecurrent supplied to the bulbs therein. Owing to the fact that at alltimes the search lights are rapidly rotating the illuminating effectwill be practically continuous instead of merely being a succession offlashes.

From the foregoing description and a study of the drawings, it will beapparent that 1 have thus provided an extremely simple and efficientdevice which is readily adjustable for use under varying conditions fordifferent purposes and which will efliciently perform all functions forwhich it is intended,

l/Vhile I have shown and described thepreferred embodiment of theinvention, it will of course be readily understood that I reserve theright tomake such changes in the form, construction and arrangement ofparts as will not depart from the spirit of the invention or the scopeof the subjoined claims.

Having described the invention what is claimed is 1. A device of thecharacter described comprising -a vertically disposed-rotating spindle,a plurality of arms carried by said spindle and pivoted with respectthereto, a search light carried by each arm, a sleeve slidable upon saidspindle and rotating therewith, radial lugs extending from said sleeve,stems adjustably connected with said lugs, other stemsadjustably'connected with said arms, links pivotally connecting saidstems, and lever'actuating means for shifting said sleeve.

2. device of the character described. comprlsing a supporting base, amotor driven vertically disposed spindle mounted thereon, a platecarried by the upper end of said spindle, a plurality of arms pivotallyconnected with said plate, a search light carried by the outer end ofeach arm, a sleeve slidable on said spindle, radial lugs extending fromsaid sleeve, longitudinally adjustab e stems connected with said lugs,other lon 'tudinally adjustable stems connected Wit said arms, linkspivotally connecting 5 said first and second named stems in pairs, apivoted lever, and a fork on one end of said lever engaging said sleevewhereby to shift said sleeve lon 'tudinally upon said spindle forvarying t e angular inclination ofsaid arms.

In testimony whereof I aflix my si ature.

- ALBERT W. KOE LER.

